The present invention relates to fluorinated photopolymers having a photo cross-linkable group. Such photopolymers are particularly useful in organic electronic and bioelectronic devices.
Photocurable polymeric compositions have many possible commercial applications. They can be used as dielectrics, insulators, encapsulants, inert overcoats, water or oil repellent layers, light blocking or emitting layers, paints, printing inks and the like. Certain photocurable polymeric compositions are of particular use in the fabrication of organic electronic devices, including bioelectronic devices.
Organic electronic devices may offer certain performance and price advantages relative to conventional inorganic-based devices. As such, there has been much commercial interest in the use of organic materials in electronic device fabrication. For example, organic materials such as conductive polymers can be used to manufacture devices that have reduced weight and drastically greater mechanical flexibility compared to conventional electronic devices based on metals and silicon. Further, devices based on organic materials are likely to be less damaging to the environment than devices made with inorganic materials, since organic materials do not require toxic metals and can ideally be fabricated using relatively benign solvents and methods of manufacture. Thus, in light of these superior weight and mechanical properties, and particularly in light of the lowered environmental impact in fabrication and additionally in disposal, electronic devices based on organic materials are expected to be less expensive than devices based on conventional inorganic materials.
One problem facing bioelectronic and organic electronic devices is that the materials and patterning processes used for conventional inorganic electronics are often not compatible with biological and organic electronic materials. Thus, new materials and processes are needed. For example, electronic devices usually require an insulating or dielectric layer (e.g., SiO2 or spin-coated polymers). Typical insulating or dielectric materials and processing methods are often not compatible with sensitive bioelectronic and organic electronic material layers. Further, many organic electronic devices contain materials that are moisture or air sensitive and require special encapsulation methods or coatings.
US 2011/0159252 discloses a useful method for patterning organic electronic materials by an “orthogonal” process that uses fluorinated solvents and fluorinated photoresists. The fluorinated solvents have very low interaction with organic electronic materials. However, the disclosed fluorinated photoresists are generally not designed to form a permanent layer in a device, but rather, are removed.
In light of the above, there is a need to provide a more effective dielectric and barrier layer materials, structures and methods that are compatible in bioelectronic and organic electronic devices.